Apparatus for measuring depths



June E. E.TURNER, JR I 2,044,820

' APPARATUS FOR MEASURING DEPTI-IS Original Filed A rii 17, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet 1 ZIIIIIIA glam.-

June 23; 1936. E. E. TURNER. JR

. APPARATUS FOR MEASURING DEPTHS Original Filed April 17, 1928 3 Sheets-She et 2 POSITION OF PZU/l/GE? wt WI! EdW/h 5 Turn er Jr.-

June 1936- 1 E. E. TURNER. JR ,820

APPARATUS FOR MEASURING DEPTHS Original Filed April 17, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 F .4 I M 11g 'LUJ i 1 'l' I I l I J n.-

' I ifiviior;

Edwin 5 70/7749" Jr.

Patented June 23, 1936 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE ArrAnA'rUs Fon MEASURING nsr'rns Edwin E. Turner, In, West Roxbury, Masa, as-

signor to Submarine Signal Company, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Maine Original application April 17, 1928, Serial No.

Divided and this application February 25,- 1930, Serial No. 431,304. In Denmark July 16,1928 I 6 Claims. 7 (Cl. 177-386) This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 270,660 filed April 17, 1928.

The present invention relates to distance finding, and more particularly perhaps, depth finding by the time of travel method employing a source of sound and a time measuring device for measuring the time interval between the emission of the sound signal and the return of the echo from the bottom of the ocean or the reflecting surace.

The present system contains many advantages over the prior art, both in the ease of obtainin the desired results with a-minimum of apparatus with regard to cost, and also withvery great accuracy.

As contrasted with some of the prior methods of depth sounding, the present system employs a hammer striker which is designed to have a high damping and decrement, not so much to prevent continued vibration of the sounder as to provide a device which cooperates with the particular receiving circuit, which also has a high decrement, as will be explained below. The circult is similar to the one shown in my copending United States application Serial No. 220,719, filed September 20, 1927.

The circuit shown in the above mentioned application operates only. on a rapid change of current and only once until it is restored. To accomplish this the decrement of the signal must abs high and similar to that of the receiving circult. This is provided by a single powerful impact which has a definite force. This single sound impact, when echoed, acts on the receivcircuit and causes the transient phenomenon which operates the indicating mechanism.

Not only is it possible to eliminate stray signals, since-only this particular type of impact is zmpable of operating the receiving circuit, but it is also possible to obtain more accurate measurements than heretofore since, instead of having to build up the signal received by one or two oscillations, as was formerly necessary in many cases and perhaps in all cases, the present signal receiver will operate on the single impact, which definitely fixes the time of the receipt of the echo or received signal.

Besides this, the present type of mechanism eliminates all need of high frequency generators and elaborate switchboards to run oscillators, so called, which have been used to create sustained but short vibrations in this work.

The present system is designed chiefly for stability, long life, low cost, few repairs, something which can be installed upon a vessel and run Figure 4 shows the mounting of the striker;-

Figure 5 shows a detail of the mounting; and

Figure 6 illustrates a feature of the design of the striker.

In Figure l, i is a hydrophone or other sound receiver capable of receiving the sound impulse for ultimately operating the indicator l6. Connected across the hydrophone i is the primary of a transformer 3, one lead 22 of which connects directly to a terminal 20 of the hydrophone i, while the other lead 2| is connected through an adjustable direct current source E3 in the following manner. The battery l8, when the switch I! is closed, is connected across the potentiometer i2, one side of the potentiometer and the battery being electrically connected to the hydrophone terminal 2!. The potentiometer arm i9 is connected to the other terminal 23 of the transformer 3. This arm is also shunted by a condenser 2 to the terminal 2! so that any pulsating variations due to the moving of the potentiometer arm is back and forth are not reproduced or indicated upon the indicator it. The use of the potentiometer in this connection allows a careful adjustment of microphone current, which is found The secondary of the transformer 3 has one very advantageous in getting just the right current for operating the receiving circuit. -40

lead connecting directly to the gridof the vacuum tube I, while the other connects to the fllament of the same tube through the-battery I, which places a negative potential upon the grid with respect to the filament. The plate of the tube I is maintained at a positive potential with.

respect to the fllamentby means of the battery 8, which has its pasitive side connected to the plate and its negative side connected to the filament through the resistance a and condenser l0 connected in parallei. The negative side of the battery 6 is also connected with the grid of the tube 8, while the fiiaments of the two tubes, it

will be noted, are connected in series with the resistances I4 and it, across the direct current power lines. The potential across the resistance It serves to make the plate of the tube 8 positive by that amount with respect to the filament.

5 The transformer l I is connected in the plate circuit of the tube 8 and serves as the output transformer for the circuit. The primary of this transformer is connected by the leads 24 and .25 to the contacts 26'and 21 respectively and is 10 shorted as shown in Figure 1 for a certain period in the revolution of the cam 28, which is at all times except after the sound has been emitted.

The operation of the circuit is the same as that of the operation of the circuit shown in my Patent No. 1,991,430.

When the impulse is received by the receiver i, it is transmitted through the transformer 3 and made to impress a potential upon the grid of the tube 1. When this potential is in the right direction, which in the present circuit is positive, the plate filament current in the tube I will increase, and consequently the potential of the point B will drop below the potential of the point A.

The grid of the tube 8, which up to this point was the same potential as the filament, will now become negative with respect to it, and if this change is sharp and of the desired intensity, it will instantaneously cut oil! the plate current in tube 8.

A rapid breaking or reducing of the plate current in the tube 8 will cause a large voltage across the transformer II and compel a breakdown across the indicator l8 which is connected across the secondary of the transformer II. The indicator I8 is preferably a neon tube which gives an instantaneous glow when an electrical discharge takes place across the electrodes in the tube.

Not every type of signal will operate the indicator, because the receiving circuit used is such that the signal must have a steepdecrement in order to effect a rapid enough change to induce the proper voltage in the brief time of the taking placed the phenomenon. In the present case, unless the change of potential on the grid of this tube 1 is rapid, the change in the plate current of the tube I will not be rapid, and as a result the charge on the condenser l8 may begin to leak of! before the phenomenon is complete. The'design of the circuit is such that unless the change in the plate current of the tube 1 is very rapid, the potential of the point B with respect to the point A will not decrease sufficiently or sufliciently quickly to cut oil or induce a. large potential across the transformer I I.

One of the remarkable features of the circuit is that it may be so designed and adjusted that its decrement corresponds to that of the sounder and that water noises or other signals will not 30 cause an indication. Whereas in other depth sounding systems there are frequently many strays present, in the present invention this is a practically eliminated, since a sound which does not have the same sharpness or decrement as 55 the one for which the circuit is designed will not be received.

An added feature in the present combination is that the receipt of the signal is one of a single phenomenon and not a steady state condition.

That is, the first impulse operates the receiving circuit, if at all, and if it does, the second vibration cannot operate the circuit, since it takes time for the circuit'to recover after operation.

It is known, therefore, within a single vibration between what points the indicator measures.

This is borne out by the steadiness with which the indicated signal in actual measurement stays at one place on the scale when the ship is stationary in still water.

.The indicator is mounted on a rotating disc 5 30 by means of a pair of clips II and 32 in a small slot near the edge of the disc. One of the clips 32 serves also as a brush for conducting the signal to the rotating disc. The other clip is grounded to the disc, which is grounded 10 to the frame of the case as indicated by 33 in Figure 1. The clip andbrush 32'bears upon the conducting ring 34, which is fixed and which connects to one side of the secondary of the'transformer I I, the other side of which is also ground- 15 ed to the frame of the case of the indicator.

The disc 30 is rotated by means of the motor 38, by means of the worm 36 and the gear 31, the latter being mounted and fixed to the shaft 38 carrying the disc 30. The shaft 38 also carries 20 the gear wheel 38, which meshes with the gear wheel 40. The gear wheel 40 carries a shaft 4|, upon which is mounted 'the cams 28 and" for controlling the operation of the sounding mechanism.

The disc is designed to make three revolutions to one of the cams 28 and 43. The cam 28 controls the indicator and short circuits it at all times except after the sounder has emitted its signal and until just before the contacts 44 and 3c 45 close. It takes, therefore, three revolutions of the disc Ell to complete a sounding cycle.

During substantially two revolutions of the indicator it is made non-operative and during these two revolutions the hammer is pulled up and allowed to drop, whereupon the contacts 26 and 21 are opened immediately. The position of the cams shown in Figure 1 is when the striker has sounded and the indicator has not yet been made operative. The indicator is made operative depending upon the spacing of the sounder and receiver at the moment when the direct signal at the receiver has just passed by. In this manner the eflect of the direct signal is entirely eliminated. 4 At the moment when the contacts 44 and 45 are closed, if the switch I! is closed current will be impressed upon the sounder 46 by means of the leads l1 and 48. When these contacts are again open, the hammer 49-, which had been previously drawn up, will be released and strike the diaphragm 50, imparting through impact a vibration to the diaphragm 5!, which may be the skin of a vessel. A condenser 55 is provided for preventing the sparking across the contacts 44 and 45. The motor 35 has its armature connected across a potentiometer 52, which in turn is connected across the power supply line 53.

The striking mechanism is shown in detail in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5. It is also shown in Figure 1. It comprises a diaphragm 50, which is held securely against 'the edge of a casing by means of the machine bolts 8| which pass through a heavy flange 92 at the edge of the diaphragm. Between the casing and the flange 92 is a water tight gasket 93 to keep out the water from the interior of the casing, if necessary, although it is designed to operate in air with the diaphragm imparting the impulse to the ships skin, as will be explained below. 7

At the center of the diaphragm is a boss 94 which extends on both sides of the diaphragm. On the outside it sets in a cap 95 which rests, without being rigidly held, against the ships skin 5|. On the inside it has a flat surface opposing 7 by means of the machine bolts I01.

noid coils I06, I09 are provided for generating the striker 49, which latter element in its operation hits the boss 94 to impart a sound vibration to the skin and thereby to the water. Between the collar 96 and the shoulder of the boss 94 rests a helical spring 91 which is designed so that the forcing helical spring 98 will cause one blow to be given to the diaphragm and no more. The resistance of the spring 91 is just strong enough to prevent a second blow. The forcing spring 98 rests in a cup 99 at the top of the casing and bears against the striker 49. The spring is centered on the striker by the core I00. The striker 49 rests in ways or grooves IOI and I02, shown clearly in Figure 3. This maintainsit in a central position for operation.

A laminated core I04 is made up of the laminations I03, which are circular stampings having two radial projections to form the poles I05, I05 across which the magnetic flux flows. The laminatlons are held together and to the casing Two solethis flux. When current is passed through the coils,'the space between the poles becomes strongly magnetic and draws up the striker 49 against the spring 99. When the current is released the spring 98 forces the striker downagainst the boss 94 which imparts a blow to the ship's skin 5i and thus to the water.

The diaphragm 50 is made very thin and the spring 91 just strong enough to prevent a second impact of the striker against the boss 94. The

clearance between the striker 49 and the boss 94 is small, yet of suincient size to allow the striker an acceleration before hitting the diaphragm 50. The diaphragm is not set firmly in the piece 95 nor is the latter held firmly against the ships skin 50, so that the impact may be sharp and not opposed before its full force is impressed on the skin 5|. These features allow an impact having a sharp decrement to be obtained.

The advantages of this method of mounting an impact oscillator are probably not fully understood but it may be stated that this is the structure actually employed and it has proved to be of considerable utility in preventing the reaction of stray signals upon the receiver. It is believed that the element 95 is a sufllciently free element to avoid transmission of sounds of small amplitudes which may persist in the diaphragm 50. It is also true that by presenting a broader surface to the skin of the vessel, the impact is sharper on account of the damping eflect.

Another feature of the striker is illustrated in Figure 6 In the design of the ordinary striker, it has been found that the mechanism will operate fairly well for a time and then it will stick. This is due to the change in temperature of the mechanism which causes the copper to heat and cuts down the effective current. The magnetization is, therefore, reduced and whereas initially the curve of the pull of the magnet plotted as ordinate against the position of the plunger is the curve A, after continuous operation it may be and sometimes is the curve B. The curve-representing the resultant force of the spring forces is a straight line obeying Hookes law and is shown at C. It will be noted that while the curve A is continuously above the line C, the curve 13' To avoid this difficulty and to obtain. as well, a constant resultant force, the coil and magnetic circuit are designed so that the flux curve will.

always be above saturation, as'shown by the curve By running above saturation, the force curve 5. n

D. becomes a straight line and is everywhere above the resultant spring force, so that the magnet never sticks. This insures reliable and at the same time accurate operation of the sound producing means. It is necessary in the present system to have special means for mounting the striking mechanism, as the contact of the boss 94 and the piece 95 against .theskin of the vessel need adjustment in each case. For this purpose, the sound pro 15 ducer is provided with four threaded studs I09 which extend from the top of the sound producer casing and which are provided with nuts I09 and II0. The studs I09 pass through a plate I which is bolted to the angle iron H2 by means of the bolts and nuts H9 and the nuts I99 and H0. The nuts I09 may be adjusted along the stud to obtain just the right tension of the boss 94 and the piece 95 against the ships skin. The nuts IIO are brought up tight with split washers beneath them, so as to hold the sound producing mechanism rigidly in place. Two angle irons I I2 are used to hold the sound producer and these are bolted to the frames I I4 or otherwise secured to the vessel.

Without going further into the operation of the system, which has been explained in connection with the various elements and which it is believed u is now well understood, the invention claimed is:

1. In a system for measuring depths, a sound producing mechanism disposed to impart a sound wave to a ships skin comprising a striking body, means for operating said strike a diaphragm having a central boss upon which the striker strikes, an extension of said boss on the other side of said diaphragm and non-yielding metallic means disposed between and loosely contacting with said second boss and said ship's skin.

2. In combination with an impact oscillator having a striking element having a diaphragm disposed to be struck from within by the strikin element, a ship's skin, means for mounting said oscillator near the ships skin and an unattached non-yielding metallic element interposed between the diaphragm and the ships skin in a position substantially opposite where the striking element hits the diaphragm.

3. In combination with an impact oscillator having a striking element having a diaphragm disposed to be struck-from within by the striking element, a ship's skin, means for mounting said oscillator near the ships skin and an unattached non-yielding metallic element interposed between the diaphragm and the ship's skin and positioned opposite the place where the striking element 6 meets the diaphragm.

4. In combination with an Impact oscillator having a striking element having a diaphragm disposed to be struck from within by the striking element, a ships skin, means for mounting said 65 oscillator near said ships skin, means projecting beyond the forward surface of the diaphragm, a metallic cap covering said projecting means on the one side and abutting against the ships skin on the otherside.

5. In combination with an impact oscillator having a striking element having a. diaphragm disposed to be struck from within by the striking element, a ship's skin, means mounting saidoscillator near said ship's skin including a bridge 76 

